Stakes-winning mares Dorth Vader, Free Like a Girl, and Sacred Wish head to Fasig-Tipton's November Sale Nov. 3 with a twist: a portion of the proceeds from each sale will benefit charity. Matt Bowling of Vinery Sales announced Oct. 27 that the connections of the three fillies will be donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each horse to a different charity. The selected organizations set to receive the donations have names or missions that resonate with the owners or the names of the fillies. All three horses are being offered as racing/broodmare prospects and are consigned by Vinery Sales, agent.
"Evan Ferraro from Fasig-Tipton and I worked together on the idea," said Bowling. "All three mares have incredible connections and unique names and stories, so we thought it would be good to do something along these lines. When I pitched the ideas to the teams of each horse, they were all excited to be a part of it and give back to some awesome charities."
Dorth Vader (Hip 209), a homebred for John Ropes (and Dorothy Harden), has amassed earnings of $1,018,218 in a stellar racing career. The 5-year-old daughter of Girvin won this year's Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and was runner-up by a nose to reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna in the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1). Dorth Vader captured her graded stakes debut in 2023 as a 3-year-old, taking the Davona Dale Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park.
A portion of Dorth Vader's sale proceeds will be going to the Starlight Children's Foundation, which collaborates with Lucasfilm and Disney to offer Star Wars-themed programs to sick children during their hospital stays.
Free Like a Girl (Hip 99), a 19-time stakes winner by El Deal with more than $2.5 million in lifetime earnings thus far, has earned graded black-type nine times, including three grade 1 placings for owners Gerald Bruno Jr., Carl Deville, and Chasey Deville Pomier, who also trains the accomplished mare. A stakes winner at distances ranging from 5 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles, Free Like a Girl twice placed in the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1), including a runner-up finish to Thorpedo Anna this year.
A portion of the proceeds generated by the sale of Free Like a Girl will be donated to St. Jude Children's Hospital in gratitude for the care it provided to trainer Deville Pomier's niece during an illness.
Sacred Wish (Hip 140), a daughter of Not This Time , won the Matriarch Stakes (G1T) and finished a hard-fought second in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) on the dirt at Saratoga. With earnings approaching $1.2 million, Sacred Wish has finished in the top three in 15 of 22 lifetime starts—nine of those at the graded stakes level for owner Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables, Steve Adkisson, Christopher Dunn, and Anthony Spinazzola.
Jake Ballis of Black Type Thoroughbreds will be supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation with a contribution coming directly from the sale of Sacred Wish. The Make-A-Wish Foundation helps fulfill the wishes of seriously ill children.
